Collar-fastening clasp.



No. 740,289. PATBNTED SEP'LZQ, 1903.

I v c. LASSEN.

COLLAR FASTENING CLASP.

APPLIOKTIGI'I'ILED JUNE 11, 1903.

N0- MODEL.

IN VENTOR flhzozz'rze ZaJ-Jn ATTORNEYS m: ohms PETERS co. woman-1e,wasnmcmm n. a

' UNITED ST TES li'atentecl September 29, 190d.

CAROLINE LAss 'N, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

V'OOLL'AR-FASTENING CLASP.

SPIECJIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,289, datedSeptember 29, 1903. Application filed June 11, 1903. Serial No. 160,984.(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CAROLINE LASSEN, a citizen of the United States, andaresident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Collar-Fastening Clasps, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The present invention relates to certain novel and useful claspsdesigned particularly for use in fastening collars used in connectionwith ladies shirt-waists.

As is well known, considerable difficulty has always been experienced inproviding a secure and suitable means for fastening the light lacecollars commonly used by ladies in connection with shirt-waists, and ithas been the common practice to fasten the adjoining or overlappingedges of the collar at the rear of the neck through the medium of pinsand the like; but many disadvantages are incident to this practice, forbeside the danger and possibility of injury by the pins pene tratin gthe flesh such fastenings have proven very insecure, as the pins areliable to work loose in thefabric of the collar and drop out, therebycausing the ends of the collar to separate and loosen and to present avery untidy appearance, besidescausing discomfort to the wearer.Primarily, therefore, I have as an object the provision of an improvedcollar-fastener which shall overcome the objections above recited, suchfastener dispensing with pins and enabling such fastenings as hooks andeyes, buttons, and the like to be discarded.

A further object of my invention is to provide a fastening-clasp throughthe medium of which the collar may be connected to shirtwaists, thestructure of the clasp being such that it may readily be removed fromone collar and placed upon another and may be adjusted so as to cause acollar of any size to fit snugly and neatly about the neck. I have alsoin contemplation the provision of an article such as has been referredto which will always retain the collar in a smooth unrumpled conditionand which may be ornamented in a suitable manner to present anattractive appearance. V

With the above-recited objects and others of a similar nature in view myinventionconsists in the peculiar construction, combination, andarrangementof parts, as is described in this specification, delineatedin the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im proved fastening-clasp andshowing the position it occupies on the collar when in position. Fig. 2is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a fastening embodying myimprovements. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the same, andFig. 4 isa perspective View of the clasp detached from the collar.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, A designates acollar designed to have its end portions a and I) connected through themedium of myimproved collarfastening, which I will. now proceed todescribe in detail. This fastening comprises, essentially,two membersabase or back memher 5 and a top or front member 6said mem here beingconnected at adjacent end portions through the medium of any suitablehinge 7. The base member, which is substantially an elongated plateformed of any suit able material, such as thin metal or the like, isformed with a central open or slotted portion 8, over which open portionextends the relatively long narrow strip or plate 9, said plate beingpreferably stamped out of the same metal as the member 5 and is curvedor projected near its extremities 10 10, so that the strip 9 will lie inthe same parallel plane with but slightly above the base member 5,whereby a portion of the collar may be slipped in between the strip 9.and the plate 5 and securely retained thereby. For assisting inmaintaining the ends of the collar securely in position inthe clasp Iprovide this central strip 9 with a number of short sharp studs or pins11 11, said pins being designed to penetrate the fabric of the collarwhen the ends are brought into position for fastening. The end portionof the back member 5 is tapered or reduced, as at 12, and formed with agrooved portion 13, adapted to seat the clasping-hook 14 of the topplate 6 when the latter is closed upon the back plate, as when securingthe collar.

At the lower portion of the back plate and upon the opposite side fromthat carrying the pins 11 11 is secured a small projecting button 15,designed to enter a buttonhole in the neckband of the shirt-waist, sothat the collar may be securely connected with and held snugly inposition relative to the shirt-waist neckband. This button may be of anydesired or preferred character and may be connected directly to the backplate or may be mounted upon a transverse strip 16, Fig. 4, connected tothe aforesaid back member.

From the above description, taken in connection with theaccompanyingdrawings, the construction and manner of employing myimproved fastening will be readily apparent. The clasp is slipped uponone end of the collar by passing said collar end in between the strip 9and the back plate, and the opposite end of the collar is then securedwithin the fastening in such manner that the small studs or pins 11 11penetrate the material and hold the ends of the collar in a connected orclosed position. The hinged top plate of the clasp is then brought down,and the catch or hook 14 makes lockingengagement with the tongue portion12 of the back plate. A collar thus fastened is not liable to becomeeasily disengaged or unhooked and will always present a neat and tidyappearance. The top plate 6 may be ornamented in any suitable anddesired manner and may be formed of any material suitable for thepurpose. The shape of the plate may also be varied and other changes inminor details and in proportions to the parts may be made withoutaffect-ing the invention, for While I have shown and herein describedone embodiment of my fastening I wish it to be understood that I do notconfine myself to the precise features of construction recited andshown, as there may be modifications and variations with respect todetails without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A fastening device comprising hinged plates, astrip stamped from one of said plates and spaced apart therefrom thegreater portion of its length, the constructionbeing such end of theopposite plate designed to be engaged by said hook for locking theplates in a folded position, a button carried by one of said plates, anda strip formed integral with one of the plates but extending spacedapart the greater distance thereof, the construction being such that acollar or similar article may be passed between the plate and the strip.

3. A fastening device comprising a baseplate, a strip formed centrallylongitudinally ofthe base-plate but spaced apart therefrom the greaterpart of its length, the construction being such that a collar or similararticle may be passed between the plate and the strip, pins carried bysaid strip for engaging the collar, a top plate hinged to thebaseplatefand means for locking the plates together in a foldedposition.

4. The combination of a top plate and a base-plate, a hinge connectingsaid plates, a strip formed integral with the base-plate but spacedapart therefrom the greater portion of its length, the constructionbeing such that the end of a collar or like article may be fastenedbetween the strip and the base-plate, projections mounted on the stripfor engaging with the collar, a button carried by the back plate at thelower end thereof, and a hook formed on one of said plates for engagingwith a .tongue on the opposite plate whereby said plates may be lockedtogether, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CAROLINE LAssEN.

